After being jilted by the saintess at the beginning, why is she crying?

hum!

The moment the words fell, a terrifying pressure, like a tangible giant wave, suddenly enveloped the entire hall!

The peak masters and elders present felt as if a mountain was pressing down on their shoulders, making it hard to breathe!

Elder Song knelt down with a thud.

His bones creaked and groaned under the oppressive force, and cold sweat poured down his forehead.

"Shut up!"

Chu Qingyi's eyes were like ice, and her voice was so cold it seemed to freeze the air:

"Hand over Lin Fengmian? That's just an excuse! If we give in today, they'll push their luck even further tomorrow!"

"Will I have to give up my life to survive the day after tomorrow?!"

Her icy gaze, like a sharp sword, slowly swept across the entire room:

"Anyone who dares to mention this matter again, don't blame me for showing no mercy!"

The hall was deathly silent; no one dared to utter a sound.

However, after a moment of silence,

Another elder, though thin and frail, stepped forward cautiously, his tone somewhat tentative:

"Elder, our sect is now trapped here, like a turtle in a jar. This can't go on forever... If the Divine Origin Alliance really launches a massive attack, what will happen to us..."

"Elder Qiu," Chu Qingyi interrupted him directly, lightly tapping the void with her fingertip.

The radiance of the grand formation swirled outside the hall, reflecting in her eyes. Her voice was clear, cold, and resolute:

"Did you see that clearly? This is an ancient level four grand formation! Let alone those small fry outside, even a Nascent Soul cultivator wouldn't be able to break it easily!"

She slowly rose, her white robes fluttering even without wind, and although her aura carried a hint of weakness, it remained as deep and boundless as the sea.

"Pass down the order: the entire sect must prepare for war! The Hehuan Sect would rather fight than surrender!"

However, at this moment—

"Elder, I also think Elder Song's words make sense."

A forced, insincere smile rang out from the crowd.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Elder Yao slowly walk out, a fake smile playing on his lips.

"Lin Fengmian is merely an inner disciple who repeatedly causes trouble by relying on luck and skill. Why put thousands of disciples across the entire sect in danger because of him?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhao Wuji, the chief of Yuheng Peak, echoed him, saying:

"That's right! How can a mere disciple be compared to the safety of the entire sect? Handing over Lin Fengmian would at least buy us a temporary respite!"

"Please, Elder, reconsider!"

"Hand over Lin Fengmian!"

The group sang in unison, their voices growing louder and louder.

The Xiao family patriarch, Xiao Qingtian, had already secretly made a promise to them.

As long as Lin Fengmian can be forced out of the sect, the Xiao family will have a way to profit from the chaos, and their status will surely rise accordingly.

Moreover, they had long harbored resentment towards the overly prominent Lin Fengmian and were eager to take this opportunity to eliminate this thorn in their side.

however--

"So noisy!"

A cold glint flashed in Chu Qingyi's eyes. She raised her jade hand slightly, and a surge of powerful spiritual energy at the Nascent Soul stage condensed into an incomparably sharp palm print in her palm!

"Anyone who undermines morale in the face of a formidable enemy will be executed without mercy!"

boom!

The palm print shot out from the air with lightning speed!

The smile on Elder Yao's face at Dan Ding Peak hadn't even had time to fade before it was frozen on his face forever—

After a muffled thud, Elder Yao was as if he had been hit by a mountain, his body and soul were completely destroyed, and not even a trace of ashes remained!

The entire hall fell into a deathly silence in an instant.

Everyone was stunned by the sudden killing, their faces turning deathly pale. Those who had initially wanted to join in...

At this moment, my legs felt weak and my forehead was covered with a fine layer of cold sweat.

Zhao Wuji's face turned ashen, his lips trembled a few times, but he didn't dare to utter another word.

"Anyone who dares to question my decision will suffer the consequences!"

Chu Qingyi slowly rose, her Nascent Soul aura surging like waves in the hall. Her cool gaze swept over every face, carrying an undeniable air of authority.

"Anyone who shakes the morale of the army will be annihilated, body and soul!"

However, her hands, which were hanging in her sleeves, were clenched slightly, almost imperceptibly.

I was indeed too impulsive today.

As a supreme elder, she should have prioritized the overall interests of the sect and should not have so easily lost her temper and killed someone.

But when those people uttered the words "hand over Lin Fengmian," she felt an inexplicable rage surge through her mind, her reason crumbled instantly, and she only wanted to tear those people's mouths apart one by one.

She quietly took a deep breath, suppressing her turbulent emotions.

What's wrong with me?

Since their divorce years ago, she had always thought that she felt nothing but guilt and indebtedness towards him, with at most a bit of possessiveness that she couldn't quite explain.

But today she was shocked to realize that her feelings had already changed without her noticing.

She couldn't stay calm whenever she heard that someone wanted to hurt him.

He was clearly just a troublesome little devil, someone who often made her so angry she wanted to grind her teeth.

But the thought of those people wanting to use him in exchange for so-called "peace and safety" made her feel like her insides were burning!

She instinctively clenched her sleeve, her knuckles turning white.

This little nemesis... is he someone they can scheme against and persecute at will?

In this world, the only person who can curse him, hate him, and... miss him is herself.

Thinking of this, Chu Qingyi's cheeks, hidden beneath her veil, began to flush.

He quickly suppressed the inexplicable tremor in his heart and resumed his aloof and dignified demeanor.

Just then—

Two streaks of light flashed past from outside the hall and landed at the hall entrance.

It was Lin Fengmian and Honglian.

The two had worked together seamlessly at the core of the formation, thoroughly reinforcing the final pivot of the Yin-Yang Five Elements Circulation Formation.

Upon entering the main hall, Lin Fengmian immediately sensed that the atmosphere inside was extremely unusual.

There was a hidden sharpness hidden in the deathly silence.

The elders looked at him with a complex and indescribable expression.

There was apprehension, jealousy, scrutiny, and even a hint of undisguised malice.

Lin Fengmian instantly understood.

With a formidable enemy at hand, he had no time to deal with these clowns.

His gaze swept past the crowd and landed directly on the white-clad figure on the high platform.

Even through the veil, he could still tell that Chu Qingyi's complexion was not good.

A subtle weariness was hidden in those clear, cold eyes.

Clearly, she had been under considerable pressure before she arrived.

Lin Fengmian's heart sank slightly.

He stepped forward, ignoring the surprised or malicious gazes around him, and said loudly:

"Elder, I have heard almost everything just now—the people outside want the Joyful Union Sect to hand over their disciple Lin Fengmian in exchange for temporary peace?"

Chu Qingyi's eyes flickered slightly as she looked at him, without denying it.

Lin Fengmian smiled slightly and cupped his hands in greeting:

"Since that's the case, I have a plan—why don't we turn the tables and let me personally go out and meet those so-called 'Heavenly Star Alliance' cultivators?"

Firstly, it would allow us to test their true strength and capabilities; secondly, it would buy time for the sect, enabling the elders to make thorough preparations.